LaPerm (Breed 80L Longhaired, 80S Shorthaired)

General Type Standard The LaPerm results from a naturally occurring dominant genetic mutation producing both long and shorthaired curly-coated cats. It is medium-sized with a moderate foreign body type, well balanced overall and should feel surprisingly heavy for its size. The LaPerm should look alert and seem to be walking high on its legs. Coat texture will be distinctly different to that of any other Rex mutation. The perfect cat will have a moderately soft but textured coat that will be loose and bouncy, standing away from the body. You should be able to run your fingers through the coat to the skin. It should not be too thick and heavy. Females may have a frizzier coat. All colours are acceptable.

Head –Shape: Modified wedge with slightly rounded, gentle contours, of medium length, longer than it is wide. Size in proportion to body. Whisker pads are prominent and should appear full and rounded. Allowances should be made for jowls on mature males. Profile: Straight nose with gentle convex curve rising from the base of the eye to the top of the eye. Forehead should be a flat plane to the top of head, then smooth gentle curve back over top of head flowing down into neck. The brow, cheeks and profile should show gentle contours, with each flowing smoothly into the neck.

Nose: broad and straight with moderate length, gentle nose break but no stop.

Ears – Placed to continue the modified wedge of the head; slightly flared and cupped; medium to large with furnishings and earmuffs, set in line, at a diagonal angle, neither too high nor too low, with about the width of an ear base between them. Tufts at the ear tips are desirable.

Eyes – Medium large and expressive. Almond shaped at rest and rounder when alert. Set moderately far apart and slightly slanted to the bottom of the outside ear base. Eye colour has no relation to coat colour.

Body – Medium in size, moderate foreign type, well muscled, medium fine boning but not light. Neck carried erect. Medium long in proportion to body length. Legs medium long to match the body. Forelegs may be slightly shorter than hind legs. Boning is medium. Rounded feet.

Tail – In proportion to body. Longhaired LaPerms will have a full plumed tail, while Shorthaired LaPerms will have a “bottle brush” tail. The tail will be thicker at the base and taper toward the tip.Coat –Longhair: Coat length medium-long; both males and females may have ruff on neck at maturity. The tail is plumed with some curling. Whiskers will be very long and curly, ear furnishings and eyebrow hairs may also curl. Texture: curly or wavy, curly is preferred. The feel to the touch is unique among Rex breeds. The coat has a springy, textured feel. It should be neither silky nor excessively harsh. The texture is created by the shape of the curls and the mingling of thicker guard hairs in the coat. The degree of softness may vary among individual cats. The coat should be loose and bouncy and should stand away from the body with minimal undercoat. The coat is light and airy enough to part with a breath and it should be possible to run your fingers through to the skin. The coat may have an almost unkempt appearance but must be free of matting. Longest and tightest curls are on the neck, ruff and base of ear. The coat may vary in length and fullness according to the season and maturity of the cat. At times the coat will part naturally down the middle of the back.

Note: the coat matures up to three years of age and younger cats may have a crisper coat texture.

Shorthair: Coat length short to medium. The tail is not plumed but hair may be wavy. Whiskers will be long and curly, ear furnishings and eyebrow hairs may also curl. Texture: curly or wavy. The feel to the touch is unique among Rex breeds. It is a textured feel. It should be neither silky nor excessively harsh, but have a crisper texture than the longhaired variety. The texture is created by the shape of the curls and the mingling of thicker guard hairs in the coat. The degree of softness may vary among individual cats. The coat has a springy texture, standing away from the body with waves over most of the cat. There is no ruff or ringlets and the tail will be like a bottle-brush. At times the coat will part naturally down the middle of the back.

Note: The coat matures up to three years of age and younger cats may have a crisper coat texture.

Colours – Colour and pattern are irrelevant and carry no points therefore a cat should not be penalised if apparently wrongly registered.